The grip of uncertainty has a hold on investors of all ilk, from institutions — which are putting deals on ice — to small business owners and tenants — who are rightfully hesitant to invest in new employees and space.

As we approach the end of the year, we enter a very different investor climate than even four months ago. A Tale of Two Cities is a good analogy for 2011, and these are not exactly the best of times.

The theory that net-leased assets are a defensive investment in uncertain times is being put to the test these days — and it is proving out.

Notwithstanding wide-ranging efforts to cut energy consumption, a frustrating financial dilemma called the “split incentive” remains an impediment to substantial energy retrofits in markets with a modified-gross lease structure.

The industrial sector may seem to lag other property types in glamour, but to those charged with managing distribution centers, research-and-development space and other facilities, it presents a complex, fast-changing landscape.

Though seeking new horizons and new opportunities can help restore excitement at any stage of a career, pursuing change also calls for a thoughtful approach.

Ten years after 9/11, digital security systems are still taking root in the industry as another line of defense. But is deployment worth the upfront costs?

By Richard A. Hanson, CRE
When the path is not clear, the job of a leader grows tougher. It is relatively easier to lead in good times, when revenue streams are robust and the problem is finding the human and financial capital to capture a growing share of the avail- able business at a profitable margin. [...]

A small set of densely populated cities with strong agglomeration economies have proven to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns over the past quarter century. Here’s why.

It’s been quite a year. What started with hope descended into fear of a double-dip recession, then moved into an economic limbo where no one knows what to expect.